3 Discussion-based teaching methods and strategies and how to carry them out

Has teaching become a routine? You prepare the lesson, explain it to the students, help them solve some problems about it, then repeat. Trying out new teaching methods can energize the students and break the monotony of the classroom. While modern teaching methods can sometimes be unavailable or unaffordable, you can apply discussion-based teaching methods in your classroom right away.

Teachers may know the material more than students, but they are no longer expected to do all the talking. Studies have been in favor of approaches that require classroom dialogue and discussion. Discussion-based teaching methods were found to “internalize the knowledge and skills” that students need to perform tasks on their own and increase their comprehension of the material.

Carrying out a class discussion effectively can be tricky. It is difficult to make everyone listen and to not drift away from the main purpose of the discussion.

That’s why we have some tips that can help in your discussion-based teaching strategies:

Plan ahead

Prepare the topics beforehand. Never go to class without knowing what you want to talk about. Time can fly (especially when you don’t want it to), and, before you know it, you’ve spent half the class brainstorming for ideas. You can share the topic ahead of class using Skolera LMS so that students can think about the discussion before it begins.

For a much more functional discussion, prepare a list of questions for your topics. Sometimes, discussions reach a dead end much earlier than you thought they would. Therefore, it is smart to be ready with questions that can stimulate the discussion back to life.

Create a safe space

Speaking up can be intimidating for a lot of students. That’s why it’s important to work on making everyone comfortable. Know your students and call them by their names to make them feel valuable and gain their trust.

Keep in mind that, while some students are more comfortable listening, others want to speak and ask but feel shy. So make sure to always encourage them to ask questions and have their questions answered.

Other students avoid participating because they don’t want to say a wrong answer. To have a healthy discussion, students need to feel comfortable sharing what’s on their mind. Therefore, listen carefully to everyone and show respect to all questions and remarks.

Set some rules

Students, especially younger ones, can get out of control. For instance, if teachers give them a bit of freedom to move in class, they will start running around in no time. Discussions can be risky in a class full of active students, so you need to be careful and focused. Here is an infographicwith some rules for students to follow during class discussions. You can print it out and hang it in class.

Be a moderator, not a manager

Balancing between having the discussion under control and controlling the discussion is necessary. If the students express opinions opposing yours, do not force your opinions on them.

Stay objective and show the available objective evidence when there is conflict. This way, students will be free to construct their own arguments to support their claims and dispute others’.

Sometimes, students have a lot to say about topics that the teachers don’t know about. Try to integrate their remarks into the discussion.

It is also very useful to consistently summarize the main points discussed and have them written on the board. It will prevent the discussion from going off topic or in circles and provide a summary of the discussion at the end of class. Skolera LMS can help you share those points with students. This way, they will reflect over the discussion and may come up with new ideas when they think about it outside of the classroom. You can try Skolera LMS for free to check all the ways it can help in your classroom. Here is an overview on the teacher’s interface of Skolera LMS.

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Discussion-based activities develop students both academically and personally. As they learn about the material through research, exploration, and discussion, they also learn how to work in a team, encourage them to speak in public, and enhance their individual achievements. Check our blog regularly to follow the latest technological advancements in education. You can also check out Skolera LMS to learn more about how it can help your educational institution.